


The Cheery Breakfast Club

by ReignStorm



Series: All Gates Collection: Writing Exercises in Gift Wrap [4]
Category: Cal Leandros - Rob Thurman, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Black Widow just don't care, Blond big brothers, Gen, Gift Wrapped Writing Exercise, Winnie the Pooh - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-19
Updated: 2016-09-19
Packaged: 2018-08-16 01:30:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8081407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReignStorm/pseuds/ReignStorm
Summary: Never before seen material!!!!
What happens when Niko meets someone who's an even bigger enigma than he is.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [All Gates Lead To (Home)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6076683) by [kyrrhe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyrrhe/pseuds/kyrrhe), [ReignStorm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReignStorm/pseuds/ReignStorm). 



> Hello all!
> 
> So this is the product of two things. _Somebody_ thought it was cheating to just do repeats of scenes that had already happened. (I can tell you right now, it's _hard_. I can't change the dialogue or the actions, but I have to make it seem natural from everybody's point of view. You try it out some time.)
> 
> The other ingredient was this idea to have a series called "The Cheery Breakfast Club" exploring what happens before Cal and Loki wake up.
> 
> Standard grammar and typo disclaimer.
> 
> Enjoy and as always: COMMENT ON SOMETHING. Thank you, your thoughts are much appreciated.

Tasha leaned her back into a corner, the two walls pressing into her shoulder blades. She stood loosely, with her arms crossed, and eyes hooded. Barton stood in another corner like her, watching exits, entrances, and everything in between. He was more relaxed though, more willing to forgo suspicion until something suspicious actually happened.

Tasha wasn’t suspicious. She just never trusted. Something the Red Room had instilled in her, to be reinforced by every life circumstance after that.

Steve and Thor sat at the breakfast bar, chewing away and reading the paper (Steve) and sitting lost in thought (Thor). Tasha had finished her breakfast before even Barton had gotten there, which wasn’t unheard of, but she had a sneaking suspicion about the donuts he’d walked in with. Tasha’s head tilted forward when one of the Leandros brothers walked in.

It was the older one. Blond hair, prominent nose, and the graceful walk of a man who’d been through the worst death had to offer. People like Tasha, they didn’t live, they simply weren’t dead yet, breathing through every possible scenario that ends in cold, skeletal fingers.

Leandros surprised her then. He walked straight towards her. Steve shifted in his seat, the super serumed moron still thinking of her as female first. Well, she was, but that was just another tool. Thor remained in one of his rare thoughtful moods, reminding her of a certain bear whose idea of thinking involved sitting on a log and punching himself in the head, muttering “think, think. Think, think.”

“Good morning,” Tasha smiled. “Enjoying your stay?”

Leandros stopped about a foot away from her, another surprise. Men didn’t come that close to her unless they had idiotic ideas about sex. He folded his arms, looked down at her.

“Quite acceptable,” Leandros replied, dipping his head.

Tasha stared unabashedly at him, waiting for him to make the next move. That was another thing she’d learned in the Red Room, there was no need to move until you struck. Conserve energy, hide your intentions, and let your opponent impale themselves on your blade.

Unfortunately Leandros seemed to be of the same opinion.

“Is there something I can help you with?” Tasha asked, just a beat after most would have termed the pause awkward. “Otherwise Jarvis can handle most domestic and custom requests.”

_“Indeed. I’ve already had the kitchen stocked with appropriate vegan alternatives and options.”_

“Thank you, Jarvis” Leandros said. “But I won’t require ‘alternatives.’ My diet is perfectly adequate without synthesized food.”

_“Of course, Mr. Leandros. I’ll update my grocery file.”_

“I would appreciate it,” he said, returning his full attention to Tasha, “if you could refrain from murdering my brother.”

Tasha blinked. “I’ve never murdered anyone in my life.” Only assassinated, eliminated, and executed. Never murdered.

Leandros made a vague agreeing sound that didn’t sound like he agreed with her at all. She cocked her head and frowned, one hand planting itself on her hip. She could always start now, she supposed.

“My brother,” he started again, “is not a threat. He is volatile, temperamental, and irreverent, but that’s not very much different from Mr. Stark or Mr. Banner.” He pinned her gaze. “Or you.”

Yes, she could definitely start up a murder list now.

“So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t activate all of your ‘spider bites’ the next time he walks through the door.”

Tasha smiled. “And if he just appears?”

Leandros didn’t even shift his weight to his toes, but suddenly he seemed taller, more solid and commanding. Tasha rolled her eyes. Men. No matter their personality, demeanor, or temperament, they always thought the best way to control someone was through intimidation. Tasha had endured her share of metal and malice, it hadn’t been fair and it had gone well beyond ‘more,’ and it still only piqued her interest. How would Leandros react to a “mere” human woman, a mere 5’3”, intimidating him?

“If he just appears,” Leandros said, hardening further around his edges, “there’s a good chance you may not even know it.”

Tasha held his gaze evenly, then lost interest. Comfortably folding her arms in front of her, she switched her attention back to Pooh and Christopher Robin. Neither of them had touched the donuts Barton had dropped off. “I think you give your brother too much credit.”

Leandros bristled. As much as a sedate, dangerous man can bristle.

“We’re all dangerous,” she said, “and unstable. That’s why even the Avengers don’t have top level clearance.” Tasha returned her gaze to Leandros, away from his clenched hands. “Our main objective is that Loki stay in containment. If your brother works then he works; if not, we will do our jobs.”

“Cal will work.” Leandros said harshly. “And neither Loki nor the Avengers will prevent that.”

_“Excuse me, Mr. Leandros, but Mr. Leandros Jr. refuses to rouse, claiming the eighth amendment as a defense.”_

Tasha raised an eyebrow. Cal would work, huh? The Red Room would have eviscerated her for claiming wake up calls were cruel and unusual punishment. Everything the Red Room had done had been cruel and unusual.

Leandros rolled his eyes, a small gesture, but not to be missed. “Jarvis, please inform my dearest younger brother that if he’s not out here in ten minutes, I will personally come dismantle his bed, hide pieces of it in three different states, and burn the mattress while he watches.”

Tasha watched as big blond Leandros walked away from her, already preparing to wrestle with his brother. A hard man, a solid man, but still a brother. He reminded her of another man, one made half of metal. She melted back into her corner, shoulder blades pressing against both walls.

**Author's Note:**

> This was a harder one to write, it went through several different version and it's the first one I did that hasn't been a same-day posting. And don't ask why that's her name, that's how she wanted it.
> 
> (...........psst......leave a comment.......)


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